A man has been arrested in Germany following a fatal Wednesday attack on two U.S. tourists near the Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany.
The 30-year-old suspect, whose name has not been disclosed, encountered the victims, aged 21 and 22, on a hiking path near the historic castle. He had the women follow him onto a trail, where he allegedly physically assaulted the 21-year-old. When the other woman attempted to intervene, the man allegedly choked her and shoved her down a steep slope, according to The Associated Press (AP).
He then allegedly attempted to sexually assault the younger victim again before pushing her into the ravine as well. The 21-year-old victim fell nearly 50 meters and later died of sustained injuries in the hospital, where she had been transported to by a helicopter. The older of the two victims was found “responsive” and taken to a hospital, where she remained as of Thursday, according to AP.
🔴 An American woman was killed after being thrown more than 160ft into a ravine by a man who apparently sexually assaulted her at a German castle.
More: https://t.co/OLYTtSMW8n pic.twitter.com/diByWKozC0
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) June 15, 2023
The suspect fled the scene, but was arrested shortly thereafter nearby. Eric Abneri, a bystander who recorded the man’s arrest, described him as having scratches across his face. (RELATED: Judge Rules Hate Crime For Gay Man Who Fell Off A Cliff)
“He did not say a single word. He didn’t open his mouth; he didn’t mumble,” Abneri told AP. “He just walked with the police and that was it.” The man is currently under investigation for murder, attempted murder and sexual offenses.
The Neuschwanstein Castle, situated in southern Bavaria near the Austrian border, is one of Germany’s most visited tourist attractions. King Ludwig II of Bavaria began its construction in the 19th century, but it was never completed.